UK polar research ship to make 2nd voyage to Antarctica
Britain’s polar research ship is preparing for its second voyage to Antarctica to investigate sea level rises and threats to marine biodiversity
LONDON (AP) — Britain's polar research ship is preparing for its second voyage to Antarctica to investigate sea level rises and threats to marine biodiversity.
Jane Francis, director of British Antarctic Survey, which operates the ship named after naturalist David Attenborough, said Tuesday that scientists will study the melting of the west Antarctic ice sheet, how it impacts global sea level rise and when “the Earth goes into irreversible change.”
“If that ice sheet does melt, it holds about three to five meters (9.8 to 16.4 feet) of global sea level rise, so what happens in Antarctica won’t just stay in Antarctica, it will affect us all,” Francis said
The RRS Sir David Attenborough, billed as one of the world's most advanced polar research vessels, completed its maiden voyage in November 2021. It is scheduled to set sail again on Sunday, from Harwich port, in eastern England, carrying around 45 crew members and scientists.
